NEWS & RESULTS

Friday 11.08 - Day Six - No task and price giving

Again post cold front conditions though
this time the wind is stronger. Despite some moments of south
wind at the take off, the organizers take the safe decision of
no task today. So the competition remains with the last overal
results:
Jouni Makkonen (Finland, Gradient) is first, Joachim Skondras
(Greece, MAC) is second and Vitaly Ermakov (Russia, Gradient)
is third. Godfrey Wennes is fourth with the new Omega 7 prototype.
Among serial class (up to DHV 2) Rumen Zhekov (Bulgaria, Gradient)
is first, Alexandru Cojocari (Moldova, GIN) is second and Ivelin
Iliev (Bulgaria, ASA) is third. Among women Hana Matyaskova (Czech
Republic, Gradient) is first, Renata Kuhnova (Czech Republic,
Sky Paragliders) is second and Petia Bodurova (Bulgaria, Gradient)
is third.
The final
results and the competition
database file.

Thursday 10.08 - Day Five - No valid task

The increasing cloudness in the sky and
the increasing SE wind confirmed the forecasted passing of ocluded
front. A symbolic 26 km task was set but the main goal was landing
next to LUK Oil petrol station for some photo sessions. The strong
head wind prevented pilots reaching the first turnpoint but the
spot landing was done well. In the afternoon the pilots visited
the hot mineral water pool of Banya and in the evening there was
warming up for the LOOP photo contest.

Wednesday 09.08 - Day Four - Race to Goal

The best day of the competition started
with blue sky and early cumulus clouds over the mountain. The
forecast was for excellent gradient and moderate but decreasing
west wind. A 94 km task along the mountain range was set: Sopot-Skobelevo-Karnare-Sopot.
The take off was opened at 12:15 and the task at 12:45. There
were many multicore thermals above the take off and space for
many many gliders in the air. Such a colorful sky. Few big groups
which started early joined at the edge of the start cylidner.
Then fast race to the first turn point and even spreading of the
pilots along the course. On the way back later in the afternoon
clouds diminished and the conditions weakened but after half an
hour they started working smoother and may be better. During the
day the cloudbase reached 2100 m amsl and climbs up to 7 m/s.
22 pilots in goal with Valery Tzvetanov
(Bulgaria, Airwave) first, Sandor Barth (Hungary, MAC) second
and Balazs Vertes (Hungary, Axis) is third.
This was the biggest successful task made ever in Bulgaria!Task 3 results and more
photos.

Tuesday 08.08 - Day Tree - Open Distance

After the classic cold front from yesterday
evening the day started with dynamic sky with lenticularices and
large areas of middle clouds. The wind at Botev peak at 9 am was
8-10 m/s west, at the landing it was south and at the take off
it was 1-2 m/s north. The forecast was for moderate to strong
west wind and overcasted sky. In Sofia and west of Sopot it was
completely overcasted but the organizers decided competiors to
go up and wait at the take off because there might be a sudden
clearing of the sky. At 11 am the wind on the take off was already
changing from S and mainly from W but the higher unstability and
the working tick cloud layers above the mountain weakened the
possible rotor and turbulence. An Open Distance task was set toward
East and Black Sea with possibility to fly over 200 km. The task
window was open from 12:15 to 17:00 and the task deadline was
18:00 (a kind of insurance in case of unexpected weather development).
The completely overcasted sky and the few bombed out pilots made
people think that it's a waisted day but about 13:30 the miracle
came. Vast clearing of the sky came from west and the best competiors
used it to climb quickly above the take off and follow their dreams.
The sunny window lasted about 40 minutes but the competitors continued
climbing later even in a complete shade. Congratulation to the
pilots who decided not to take off because of the increasing west
wind. Later in the afternoon there was another sunny gap which
was also succesfuly used. The difficulty to the furthest pilots
came around Kazanlak where a dying congestus with heavy rain and
strong north wind pushed pilots 90 degrees away from the course.
Veselin Ovcharov (Bulgaria, Axis) is first
with 60 km, Georgi Jordanov (Bulgaria, Gradient) is second and
Jouny Makkonen (Finland, Gradient) is third.Task 2 results

Monday 07.08 - Day Two - No Task

There was a heavy rain during the night
and as it continued in the morning the organizers announced that
there will be on task this day. The other motives were the higher
humidity and the forecast from more rain later. Part of the competitors
went to the hot mineral water pool of Banya.
Surprisingly in the afternoon the sky cleared
and condition started working. There were various clouds and despite
the fast moving of the higher clouds from SW, the lower cumulus
clouds were calm and with high enough cloud base. The rest pilots
in Sopot flew well on the yesterday task. Valery Tzvetanov made
the first in Bulgaria jump with a paraglider from a paraglider.
Petko dropped him as a bomber and climbed and landed on the Sopot
take off alone with the tandem. Later there were acro tricks until
the last pilots who landed quickly with big ears because of the
coming frontal monster.Here
are some photos. - Skynomad
Photo Gallery

Sunday 06.08 - Day First - Elapsed Time Speed Run

The Day started with even layer of middle
clouds, but the organizers ignored the depressing forecast of
one server and bet on NOAA (good gradient and tick inversion
layer preventing thunderstorms). At 10.30 the competitors
went to the take off. At some places in the valley sunny spots
appeared and the conditions started working - fat cumulus clouds
formed (their base was about 400 m above the take off because
of the last night rain). A standard 52 km task was set: Sopot
- Vasil Levsi-Karnare-Sopot. The start window was open between
13.00 and 15.00.
The most inpatient competitors who took off
bombed out quickly in the shade. Those who waited for sunshine
over Sopot climbed easily and continued flying the task supported
by the following general sky clearing. The higher main wind was
from South West and the lower local wind was from South East thus
the wiser flew the task with back wind i.e. toward Vasil Levski
it was better to fly higher, then to Karnare - lower and then
to Sopot higher again. Those who were late with the take off moment
had problems with the last leg because of the increasing of the
local SE wind. Finally 9 pilots made the goal. First is Balasz
Vertes (Hungary, Axis), second is Jonahannes Damisch (Austria,
GIN), third is Ivelin Iliev (Bulgaria, ASA).
The boss of the Hungarian Team (and member
of the pilot committee) was having problems with his GPS -
the first 10 km from his tracklog were missing so he got minimal
distance points despite he finished among the first! In the evening
pilots partied in the Club until waiting for the results.
Here are some photos. - Skynomad
Photo Gallery
Results After Task 1

....
The maximum number of competitors will be 150.
The Sopot take off and most of the landing places are big enough.
We will accept 170 registrations. Those above 150 still
have chance for participating as there are usualy about 10-15
cancelations of registered competitors due to unforseen circumstances
(job, family, etc.) The next step is the collection of the entry
fee and it may free some more places for the competition.

The competition is becoming BIG and thus we ask pilots
without enough mountain flying experience to come and participate
as guest pilots.
The guest pilot fee is 30 euro and includes the cable
lift transfer, the retrieve from XC, map and more ;-)
The guest pilots can fly the tasks but they can launch
only before or after the competition start window (which is
usually between 13:00 and 14:00)